42. King Lawrence
King Lawrence
“Please! Please… Your Majesty! N-No!”
Whack!
Whack!
Whack!
“Ple…ease stop!”
Whack!
Whack!
Heavy sobs mixed with different tones and pitch. I grabbed the new woman’s face, glaring into her brown eyes. I was so overstimulated. So overwhelmed with fury, I couldn’t think straight.
“You thought it was okay not to call back? To turn off your phone? To make me sound like a fool in those messages!”
“Pl-ease. Please! I’m sorry. I’m s-sorry. I’m sorry, sorry, sorry.”
I swung the cane again, connecting with her hip and outer thigh. She was already covered in welts and blood. It went from just below her neck down to her knees. There was barely a place that wasn’t broken and bleeding.
“Ahhhh!”
“You don’t love him. It’s not real. You’re meant to love me.”
“I d-do. I love you.”
I snarled, stepping back and slapping her.
Blood blossomed, tinging her lip. I watched in fascination as it began to build and slowly trail down the middle.
Harder, she cried, but the red drew me forward, calming the storm inside.
My thumb settled over the split, and I traced it over her lips.
I leaned forward, kissing her and sweeping my tongue over the small laceration letting the metallic taste increase my pulse.
“I want to taste you like this. I’m going to… going to… have you.” I blinked the woman in, watching Penelope disappear. “Call you… I’m going to call you again, and this time you’re going to answer.” The anger rushed back. “This time—”
Ringing had me spinning and racing for my bed. I fumbled with the phone, letting out a deep yell when I saw who was calling. I closed my lids, taking a deep breath before opening my eyes and hitting the button.
“You.”
“You don’t sound happy to hear from me… yet you were the one who called.”
“Hours ago,” I snapped at The Sultan. “I want Penelope. Give her to me.”
He laughed. “I don’t believe it works that way.”
“Her safety is in question. She needs to be taken away from Vaughn Masterson.”
There was a pause. “You’ll never convince anyone of that. She’s very happy with Vaughn.”
“He’s brainwashed her.”
“Maybe so. That still doesn’t change the fact that she’s choosing to be with him.”
I squeezed the phone as I glared towards the crying, hanging woman in cuffs. She wasn’t the woman I wanted. She wasn’t even close.
“He’s left her no choice. I want her. She was mine first.”
“Yours? She was never yours. You didn’t choose her. If I recall, you were finished with her once you learned of her scandal. You even said you were better without her.”
“I lied. She embarrassed me.” My hand sliced through the air. “That’s over. I want her now. Right now.”
“Impossible. She wants to be with him. She’s made that clear to you plenty of times. Did she not turn her phone off last night?”
I stiffened. “Were you watching me?”
“You know I watch you.”
“Well, stop.”
Again, a chuckle left him. “So angry. Is she that important to you? You don’t love her. Why not let her be happy with Vaughn?”
“How do you know what I feel? Maybe I do love her.”
“You don’t. You want her because he has her. Because he loves her. You want something you can’t have, and it’s driving you crazy.”
“She belongs with me.”
“Not if she chooses him.”
“Then I’ll kill him.”
Silence.
“You know I will. I’ll put out a million contracts on him. I’ll kill him and leave her no choice.” My eyes lowered and my volume dropped. “Maybe it would be better that way. She’d be… devastated. She’d fight.” I smiled. “She’d… kill.”
“You.”
“What?”
“She’d kill you.”
“She’d try. But only if she knew.”
He made a sound. “You don’t think she wouldn’t know? It’s obvious. No one wants him dead more than you.”
“Right now. If more people came forward to express their dislike of him. If—”
“What you speak of will get you killed, no one else.”
“Me? Why? He is no one.”
“He is the true king.”
My teeth peeled back.
“I am king! Me!”
Silence.
Again, I looked at the woman.
“Penelope has until tonight to call me.”
“Or what?”
At me not answering, he cleared his throat.
“I’m going to lay it out to you in very clear terms, Your Highness.
Take my words to heart because I will not repeat them again.
Your days of chasing Penelope Taylor are over.
The night of the ball, you will honor your guest and welcome Vaughn Masterson back into society.
Then, you will leave them alone and find your own queen.
” He paused. “You have already gone too far. I barely saved you after you killed their heir. I won’t make myself look like a fool and do it again.
If you chase after her or send someone to their residences, The Council will convene and no doubt pass harsh judgment.
Most don’t like you. Right now, I’m finding it hard to as well. ”
“Hate me. I don’t care. Penelope is mine, and if I have to go to The Order—”
“The Order?” Laughter burst from him. “The moment you show up, Vaughn Masterson has full permission from this Council to kill you, and he knows it. You’d be the biggest fool to face him. He’d destroy you.”
“Is that right?”
More silence. Rage built. Hate peaked. I walked over, opening my drawer of torture tools and grabbing a knife.
“I guess we’ll see. You will have her call me right now or I get her myself.”
I hung up, meeting the woman’s eyes. My hand reared back, and I plunged the blade into her chest. Once. Twice. I left it there, spinning for my door. Penelope would call, or I’d take matters into my own hands.
She would call.
Or he would pay.